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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) J. Stevens Marksman Rifle (Read 13169 times)
uscra112
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Re: J. Stevens Marksman Rifle
Reply #60 - Dec 8th, 2020 at 11:43pm
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The Lee "Universal Expander" die is cheap.  But as delivered it only flares the case mouth, without expanding the neck.  How this is useful to cast bullet shooters is beyond me.

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HOWEVER, a little lathe work neatly converts the supplied plug into a proper expander, and expanders for other cases are easily turned up out of bar stock. For some years I've been making custom mandrels for my M dies from a high quality threaded rod, but making custom mandrels for the Lee die is easier.   
  

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rkba2nd
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Re: J. Stevens Marksman Rifle
Reply #61 - Dec 9th, 2020 at 12:29am
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It flares the case mouth to allow the seating of cast bullets without shaving lead. I believe that is all it is intended to do. The set will accomodate most if not all calibers. To my way of thinking, an inexpensive solution to a problem.
  

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uscra112
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Re: J. Stevens Marksman Rifle
Reply #62 - Dec 9th, 2020 at 2:21am
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Flaring alone is not sufficient.  Sizer dies meant for jacketed bullets leave the neck I.D. 2 or 3 thou smaller than your cast bullet, maybe more if your bullet is sized up to fit the throat.  Flaring alone encourages you to seat your cast bullet into such an undersize neck, but that deforms it; essentially sizing it down just as your lubrisizer did. The bullet is thus undersize when it enters the throat, leaving annular clearance, which will allow it to tip, and/or permit blowby.  A cast bullet should never be tighter than a light drag fit in the neck if you want accuracy.  In revolvers and repeating rifles a crimp is thus necessary to keep it from moving.  Our single shots of course need no crimp.  

The tiny .22 bullet is particularly susceptible to deformation if the neck is too tight.

Lyman mandrels have two diameters. The first diameter opens the whole neck to that drag fit, the second opens it half a thou or so more, to ease the entry of the bullet into the neck. This larger diameter should enter the neck only a few thou. Chamfering the mouth will prevent shaving, unless your seating tools are badly misaligned.

One fault with the Lyman mandrels is that they usually don't come in the optimum size for your bullet and brass.  Preparing .38 Special target ammunition a few years ago I found that I needed different expansion mandrels, depending on brass make and temper, to get the optimum fit.   This is why I started making my own.  Buffalo Bore is offering alternative sizes in the aftermarket, but I don't see any in the smaller sizes.   
« Last Edit: Dec 9th, 2020 at 2:30am by uscra112 »  

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rkba2nd
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Re: J. Stevens Marksman Rifle
Reply #63 - Dec 9th, 2020 at 3:29pm
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I don't believe I mentioned the word sufficient, as I stated in my post, the Lee tool is designed to flare the case mouth and NOTHING more, and they work well for that job. Using standard sizing dies is part of the problem you mention. The use of bushing dies will solve that problem, and reduce working the brass more than necessary. I too have been at this for a very long time, and have learned a few things along the way. If bushing dies are not available for the cartridge you are dealing with, there is a gentleman in Iowa who will set up your sizing die for bushings. With L E Wilson bushings one can size the neck in .0001 increments.The charge is very reasonable, and you can use a standard neck die to help reduce work hardening the body as well as the neck. I have used his services many times for single shot and wildcat cartridges for both lead and jacketed bullets. You can make an expand mandrel to open the neck to the desired dimension and flare, but then you are working the brass more than needed. If you have a lathe, you can perform the bushing die work yourself, but because sizing dies are hardened, you must use carbide tools, and I found it well worth having him do the necessary work in spite of having a lathe. He grinds the expanding/decapping rod to clear, and makes a new threaded and knurled adjustment rod to house it. The last I had done, the charge was fifty dollars, and to my way of thinking, well worth it, and his work is stellar. Just a way I have found to work very well for me.    Krag
  

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